


Boys Keep Swinging

by bellachanmustdie



Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-16 09:09:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15433701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bellachanmustdie/pseuds/bellachanmustdie
Summary: They don't know how to dance.





	Boys Keep Swinging

**Author's Note:**

> old story, just moving all my wattpad stories here in ao3.

"You're kidding,  _right_?" Frank says worriedly, shaking his head ever so slow. "Jamia,  _please_... No... You're just fucking with me, right?  _Right?_ "

Jamia stared at Frank with disgust before rolling her eyes. "No,  _I'm_   _not_. It's not my fault that you missed our meeting yesterday when we divided the project tasks. And whether you like it or not, you are assigned to provide entertainment at the intermission of our group presentation and that will be in the form of a  _dance_ ," she says without stopping and in a matter-of-factly tone.

 _"The fuck?!!"_  Frank eyes went huge with surprised, mingled with annoyance as he realized that this is his fate – that he will have to dance for their group project. He feels he's about to get a headache. "But Jamia, I don't know how to dance," Frank pleaded his case firmly, crossing his arms.

"There's nothing you can do. And besides, you still have five days to learn, Frankie. I have  _hope_  in you," Jamia says, looking very oddly pleased.  _Hope?_  Frank mentally snorted. He is convinced that his friend is a witch.

"Uhm... I... I d-don't know h-how to d-dance too, Jamia," a familiar voice says shakily. Both Jamia and Frank looked at the guy who's standing awkwardly just a few steps behind them. And it's weird that Frank didn't notice  _him_  coming.

Yep.  _Him_. That guy who always wears this cute hairpin at the right side of his hair and Frank finds  _him_  adorable ever since he laid his eyes on him.

"Hi, Gerard! I'm very  _sorry_ ," Jamia apologizes and she truly sounds earnest which made Frank raised an eyebrow, also pissed because Jamia is  _never_  nice to him. "If only you attend our group meeting yesterday, then you can pick your own part in our presentation. By the way, why were you not here yesterday?"

Gerard bit his lower lip before he looked at Jamia, looking  _ever so shy_  and it takes all Frank's strength to stop himself from wrapping his arms around him. "Uhm, I was working on the art room's mural yesterday..." Gerard replies, looking shyly to Jamia, then to Frank, and then back to Jamia. "And when I r-remember about our group m-meeting, I was already three hours late...  _But!_  But I went here to check if you're all still here but the room's already empty and I figured that maybe you already left..."

"Oh Gerard," Jamia grabbed Gerard's soft hands and squeezed it. Frank felt a little pang of jealously because he should be the one holding Gerard's hands. "I'm very sorry. But  _rules are rules_  and since you didn't attend our meeting, you will get the dance part."

"But Jamia..." Gerard pouts his lips and tilts his head, thinking. "Okay... I guess there's n-nothing I can do..."

"And I'm really sorry again because you're gonna be stuck with Frankie here," Jamia added dejectedly, putting her hand on her hips.

" _Hey!_ " Frank spats and Gerard looked at him with those pretty, hazel eyes that never fail to melt Frank's heart.

This time, Jamia just gave Frankie a smile –  _a knowing smile_. "So, I'm gonna leave now... Good luck and I hope you can come up with something nice for your part. I believe a minute-long dance is enough. And oh, choose anything that's popular nowadays. Let me know the progress, okay?"

Frank made a low, guttural sound while Gerard gave a shy nod.

"We'll try to do our b-best..." Gerard mutters. Jamia patted his shoulder and gave Frank the same, knowing smile before she left.

"So..." Frank started to bounce up and down on his toes. "Perhaps we shall start to think what we should do for our presentation? I still have forty minutes before my band practice, how about you? Do you have something else to attend to? Shall we just set up another time to meet?"

"I also need to go somewhere but I still got some time to talk about our project," Gerard answered and Frank noticed that his cheeks are slowly gaining colour.

Raising an eyebrow, and before he can't even stop himself, Frank blurted out, "Wait, you've got a date?"

Frank mentally smacked his own face.

But Gerard looked at him, surprised. "Oh, no no... Not a date, Frankie," Gerard bit his lower lip before he turn his gaze down at the floor. "Just, uhm, you know... the art room."

"Oh I see." Frank let out a soft sigh and there is no need to ask why Gerard needs to go to the art room. "So shall we talk about the project here or do you want to go somewhere else? Actually, my lungs are kinda itching for a smoke, so..."

"We can go o-outside," Gerard suggested. "I don't mind."

"Alright  _princess_ ," Frank says, not realizing that he just called Gerard, princess. Gerard, of course, heard this loud and clear and it makes his cheeks flushed even more and he's surprised that it was possible. He hopes that Frank will not notice it. "I'll bring you to my special place," Frank added, grinning at him.

" _Wait!_  S-special place?" Gerard asked nervously. But Frank flashes him the same grin and then grabbed Gerard's hand.

 

-

 

 _So_  it turns out that Frank's special place is the secluded area behind their school where one can smoke in peace. And clearly it is not only Frank's special place because other students and even teachers smoke here. And  _actually_ , Gerard often sees Frank here sometimes, but Gerard swears he's not stalking Frank.

Frank immediately plucked a stick and even offered one to Gerard, but Gerard kindly refuses. "You don't smoke?" Frank asks before he lit the stick between his chapped lips.

"Uhm, I do, but... you know, not always... I just don't feel like, uhm... smoking today..."

"Hmm," Frank shrugs before he turned his head sideways and exhales. "So what do you suggest? We still have five days before our dreaded dance this Monday."

"Uhm... I'm kind of, busy till Thursday," Gerard says. "Maybe we can meet this Friday? And oh, I'm also free this weekend."

Frank titled his head, thinking, before he replied. "I have a band practice this Friday, but we can meet after, if you like? We can also use the music room after."

"Alright," Gerard says, as he tucks some strands of his hair behind his ear. "I guess we should also come up with ideas about the dance before Friday."

Frank groaned while Gerard dropped his shoulders. Neither of them wanted the part that they got for their project.

"Yeah, okay." Frank agrees as he exhaled some smoke again. Then there was this awkward silence that falls between them. And Frank can't help but finally look at how pretty this guy standing close to him, with his cheeks a little bit flushed, his skin so pale – almost white, and his messy black hair with one side attempted to be organized by a single hairpin.

Frank didn't even realize that he had already reached for Gerard's hair, his thumb brushing the pink hairpin. "So what's the deal with this?"

Gerard blinked rapidly, and he could hear his heart beating so loud in his chest. "Uhm," Gerard started and refusing to look at Frank. But Frank continues to touch his hair pin, some of his digits digging through his hair and it makes Gerard's body tensed. "My h-hair always covers my... my eyes, which make it hard to... uhm... see when I'm drawing, so Mikey gave them to me..."

Frank felt his whole body gone stiff, the same wave of jealousy he felt earlier crashing through him all over again. " _Mikey?_ "

This time, Gerard looked at Frank and he saw his eyes had gone hard in an instant. He never saw that look from his crush before. "Oh...  _Mikey?_  He's my younger brother..."

"Oh...  _Oh!_ " Franks breathes out, eyes going soft. Frank resumes on touching the hairpin and his hair, as if it is very normal thing to do until Gerard's hairpin accidentally falls down onto his palm.  _"Oops!"_

Gerard watches – his cheeks still madly blushing – as Frank brushes his hair with his hand, flattening it, before he put the hairpin back on his hair. The outcome was a little bit messy and wasn't secured, but Gerard doesn't mind it at all.

Frank smoked his cigarette and exhaled a few before he dropped it down and stepped on it. "So see you this Friday? Just meet me in the music room."

"Alright, Frankie," Gerard says, in a very low and shy voice.

 

-

 

Bob cocked an eyebrow, examining Frank's face. He wondered if his friend was abducted by aliens last night and his brain was replaced or if he was a clone because he looks like shit right now. "You look like shit," he said it out loud.

Frank flipped him off, raising a middle finger. "You all know why," Frank says, sitting down the floor and then pulling his guitar from its case.

"Jamia giving you a hard time?" Ray asks as he tunes his guitar.

Frank nodded, defeated. It's already Friday and in about an hour, Gerard will meet him in the music room. He's aware that he had agreed when Gerard suggested that they should've come up with ideas about the dance but he came up with nothing –  _nada!_  He even asked Jamia about it but she was unhelpful, suggesting that he look at YouTube and check for any popular dance right now.

"You know, you can just play your guitar, Frank," Ray suggested before he strum a few chords.

Frank groaned as a form of response to his friend. Ray's suggestion sounds so simple, and it's actually way better than dancing. And besides, it seems that playing his guitar for their part is much fitting to the play that Jamia and her team is practicing with.

Frank really didn't want to dance.

"I don't know, Ray. I feel that Jamia will castrate me if I suddenly decided to change her plans."

"But do you really want to dance in front of the whole Performing Arts Department?" Ray asks, eyes big and worried. "And besides, I don't really see any difference between dancing and playing your guitar. And it's  _theatre play_ , Frank. You can do anything as long as you're actually performing and not do some spelling bee or case study defence or other shit."

Frank let out a loud sigh, but he's seriously considering Ray's suggestion. He then plugged his guitar to the amp before he took the available wooden stool across Ray. "I'll think about that, Ray. But I had to talk to my partner first―" Frank stopped as he heard the music room's heavy door slide opened. He turned around and saw his friend, James, but he's not alone.

Frank's eyes go huge, and probably bright. But he bet all his friends can see how surprised he looks right now. And it's true because he's expecting to see the guy beside James after their practice.

"Sup?!!" James greets, voice louder than was necessary and one arm hooked around Gerard's shoulder. "Saw Gerard outside and I invited him in."

"Hi." Gerard looked shy as usual, ducking his head lower. This time, he's wearing a lavender hairpin with a small flower detail on it. Gerard's black hoodie seems a bit bigger to him, the length is practically reached mid-thigh. And he's wearing tight black pants and white Converse shoes.

And as usual, Frank finds him adorable and something in his tummy is jumping and flipping insanely inside him.

"What are you doing outside, Gerard?" It was Ray who asked.

"I... The art room is locked... And I have nowhere to go... So I decided to just wait outside 'til Frankie's band practice is over..."

Both Bob and Ray raised their eyebrows and then looking sharply at Frank. They do it at the same time that Frank was so amazed and was itching to comment about it, but decided not to.  _"What?"_

"Why is Gerard waiting for you?" Bob asks.

"We're both assigned to do the dance project," Frank answers. "Wait, I mentioned that before, right?"

They both shook their head, but their eyes had gone normal – at the same time again.

"Okay... Gerard can definitely hang out here and watch our practice," Ray says as he stood up and strumming a few chords.

Gerard occupied one of the available seats at the corner of the music room. "Thanks."

"Okay, let's start, shall we?" Bob says as he plays with his drumsticks.

Frank just nodded, his eyes are still on Gerard. Gerard looked at him and gave him a tiny smile. Frank returned the smile, his cheek getting warmer.

Ray cleared his throat loudly and Frank knows it's on purpose. But he decided to just ignore it.

 

-

 

It turns out that Frank finds it hard to focus when the guy he's crushing so hard is sitting a few meters away from him. So he missed and hit the wrong chords  _here_  and forgot the lines he was supposed to sing  _there_  – it's not a big deal but both Ray and Bob have no plans to stop shooting Frank death glares. Frank knows it was because he performed terribly at today's practice but he doesn't really care and he will never ever blame Gerard because all he did was sit at the corner. And Frank, of course, watches him as he would sometimes poke the tip of his tongue out as he focuses on whatever he's sketching or when he will tuck some strands of his black hair behind his ear, or when he will look at Frank and then smile at him.

"We'll pick up from here when we meet for next week's practice, a'right?" Ray says as he packs his stuff. They all hummed as a response and Frank packing his things slowly than the rest. Gerard also stopped sketching and shoved all his art stuff inside his bag.

"Well, good luck with your project," Ray says to both Frank and Gerard as he slung his guitar over his shoulder; Bob and James just behind him. "You should try and ask Jamia what we talked about earlier, Frank."

"Oh, alright, will do. Thanks," Frank says, nodding. The three of them said their quick goodbyes to both Frank and Gerard before they left the music room.

Once they're alone, Frank heard Gerard let out a barely audible sob – out of nowhere and looked at Frank with sad eyes.

And Gerard looks he's about to cry.

" _Wait―_  Wha... What's  _wrong_?" Frank immediately asks and he's very worried.

"I don't w-wanna do it, Frankie," Gerard sniffed, his curled hand rubbing his eyes. Frank didn't even think twice as he extends an arm and pulled Gerard to his chest, hugging him. Gerard cradled his head against Frank's shoulder, his hand also wrapping around Frank's middle.

"You mean,  _the_   _dance_?" Frank starts to pet his hair, gently.

Gerard gave a short nod. "I really don't w-wanna do it... "

"Oh Gee," Frank let out a sigh, his hand still stroking Gerard's head. Same with him, Frank doesn't want to do it. "Then we'll change it, just like what Ray suggested."

"But, Jamia―"

Frank pulled away from the embrace before he set both his hand on Gerard's shoulders, gripping it. Frank looked straight at Gerard's eyes and he could see how afraid he is with the whole deal. Jamia knows well that Gerard is shy and it doesn't surprise Frank that Gerard is crying right now.  _Heck,_  Frank is under the impression that no one wants to dance in front of the PA Department, not unless you're part of the dance club or something.

"I'll call Jamia, okay? We'll tell her that we won't do it. We'll do something else. And besides, we're only doing an intermission so I don't think there will be a problem."

Gerard sniffed. "Really?"

"Yep, so stop crying, okay?" Frank assures as he cups Gerard's face with his right hand.

Frank pulled his phone from his jeans' pocket and immediately scrolled at his contacts. Once he located Jamia's number, he pressed call. And Jamia answered after four rings.

 _"Hi Frank!"_  Jamia says in a happy tone. Frank can't help but to roll his eyes.

"We won't do it," Frank says, as firm as he can. Gerard still looks at him with his sad eyes.

It took Jamia a few seconds before she gave her response. And Frank felt he just stopped breathing during those seconds as he waits for her answer.

" _Okay._ "

"What?!!" Frank felt his eyes gone big, surprised. Honestly, he's expecting the opposite answer, and probably will continue to push them to do the dance. "You're okay with it? You're not gonna cut my balls?"

Frank heard Jamia gave a snort at the other line.  _"You're disgusting. But yep, you heard me, Frankie. But you have to think of something else for your part."_

"You made us worried for nothing, J." Frank rolled his eyes, letting out a sigh. "You're annoying, you know that? Okay, we'll think of something else."  _Stupid project._

_"You know, we're actually lucky that our Lit teacher allows us to be flexible with the play, so don't call our project, stupid."_

Frank didn't realize he just said that remark out loud.

_"And besides, this project is easy and you don't have to memorize lines and act, unlike us. So you just need to come up with an alternative, and please just stay to our theme, okay?"_

Frank nodded, though it is completely unnecessary. He also gave Gerard a tiny, assuring smile before he reached for his cheeks again and cupped it, his thumb gently brushing it. "Yeah. Alright. I have a band, you know. We'll probably sing or something."

_"Alright. Good luck!_

It was Frank who ended the call and he can't stop smiling right now. Gerard looked at him with curiosity, his eyes round and bright.

"So, we're not gonna do the dance, but we still need to do something else. I told Jamia that we can just sing."

Gerard blinked. "Sing?"

"Yep,  _sing_." Frank repeated. Gerard gave Frank the same scared look again. "Oh no, Gerard... We're classmates at music class last semester so I know you can sing."

Gerard shifts his gaze down the floor. "But Frankie, I'm... I'm shy..." he croaked, refusing to look at Frank.

"So do you want to dance instead?"

It took a few seconds before Gerard could answer. He looked at Frank again and answered. "I'll sing..."

Frank gave him a bright smile and stepped closer to him. "Stop worrying so much, Gerard. And besides, it's only a minute-long. So our plan is I'm gonna play guitar and you're gonna sing, alright?"

Gerard gave a short nod. "Okay... We could meet tomorrow and talk about what we're gonna perform this Monday."

"That's a good plan. And besides, we still need to research for a fitting song that we can play. I'll also text Jamia and my bandmates for any suggestion."

"I... I'll ask Mikey," Gerard says. "He knows a lot of song, too."

"Good!" Frank says, stepping back and sitting down the stool nearest to him. Gerard took the available wooden stool and sat beside Frank.

Then there was this awkward silence that falls between them. But before Frank could think what they can talk about to end it, Gerard opened his bag and pulled out his mobile phone.

"You know, I searched for a song that we can use for the dance."

Frank raised an eyebrow. "You did?"

Gerard nodded, eyes remained glued on his phone as he scrolls something on it. "I did. But all I found are songs with weird and complicated dance moves. And... And I don't wanna do that kind of dance in front of people, Frankie. I'll just humiliate myself... So, thank you for asking Jamia if we can change it."

"No problem, Gee. And didn't I tell you that I don't want to do it too?"

Gerard looked at Frank and smiled softly. "Oh, and the only dance song that I might be willing to dance is this slow dance that's widely popular among fairy-tale movies," he tells him, shaking his phone a little bit. Frank took Gerard's phone and saw that it was a ripped audio from a Disney movie –  _a fucking Disney movie_. Frank looked at Gerard, surprised. And Gerard looked shyly at him and Frank noticed that he's blushing.

"Are you serious?" Frank says incredulously, but he's smiling nonetheless. This is Gerard, and well, he shouldn't be surprised at all. In fact, he finds it adorable. He then pressed play and this slow, kind-of-familiar dance song filled the music room. "You know, we can't really use this because Jamia wants something modern."

"I know," Gerard says, giving Frank a tiny smile. "And good thing that Jamia is okay with us changing it to us just singing."

Frank hummed his response, the untitled Disney song continue to fill the room. If Bob is here, he's so sure he'll make fun of them for listening to such song. But Frank found nothing wrong listening to it, honestly though.

"Wait," Frank smirked at Gerard and Gerard furrowed his eyebrows. "You say this is the only dance song you will dance, right?"

" _Might_  dance, Frankie," Gerard pointed out. "Why?"

"Well then," Frank stood up and place Gerard's phone on his seat. "Come on, let's dance to this song!"

Gerard's eyes widen and shook his head. "No Frankie... I don't wanna―"

"Aw come on, Gee," Frank pouted this time, his arm outstretched and offering his hand.

Gerard hesitates but he took Frank's hand. Frank gently put his hands on Gerard's shoulders while Gerard rested his hands on Frank's waist. But Gerard refuses to look at Frank's eyes, decided to just stare at his feet as they dance.

And Frank can't help but to smile as their feet move from left, then to right. And seriously, both of them don't have a single idea what they're supposed to do next, but Frank is honestly enjoying that moment. And it will be much better if Gerard will look at him, but he knows he's very shy.

They continue to move (Frank is so sure they couldn't even call this as dancing) until Gerard stepped on his rights shoes and Frank let out a yelp.

"Sorry," Gerard says and attempting to focus on not stepping on Frank's foot anymore.

"It's alright," Frank assures, but his toe hurts like hell.

But Gerard stepped on Frank shoes again. "Sorry!" Gerard says, this time looking at Frank and he looks annoyed. "This is really a bad idea."

"No, it's not," Frank says, wincing because he's really in pain, but he's smiling. Oh god, Frank is really head over heels to this guy.

"It is!" Gerard protested, pouting his lips. He really looks annoyed now, but Frank finds the whole thing adorable. Gerard dragged his foot to the left and for some unknown reasons, and probably because the world is not on Frank's side right now, Gerard tripped and crashes onto him, which made Frank fall down, his ass hitting the hard ground.

_"Ouch!"_

"Sorry, Frankie!"

They're now sitting on the floor right now and Gerard is pressed onto his chest. Frank blinked, both his hand still on Gerard's shoulders.

"It's okay," Frank says as he look at Gerard's worried eyes, and then drifting his gaze to his lips, and then back to his eyes again.

"I'm really sorry, Frankie," Gerard pouts, still looking apologetically and regretting why he agreed to dance.

"Please stop apologizing, Gee," Frank says, lifting his right hand so he can brush some strands of Gerard's hair and tuck it behind his ear. "It's fine. You didn't break my leg or something."

Gerard giggled at that. Frank realized that Gerard is practically sitting on his lap.

And Frank felt something weird going on in his stomach, probably butterflies fluttering or fireworks erupting, Frank isn't really sure. He also feels his neck and face starts to burn as he stared back at Gerard – who's also looking intently back at him. And unknown to Frank's knowledge, but Gerard feels the exact same way. Not thinking anymore, Frank leaned forward, towards Gerard and suddenly, his chapped, warm lips were pressing firmly to Gerard's soft lips. Gerard blinked, both his hands gone stiffed but it only took a matter of seconds before his whole body relaxes and moved his hand on Frank's shoulder and tried to kiss him back.

Frank pulled back and smiled. Gerard blinked a few times, his face flushed and his heart beating fast against his chest.

"I really want to do that," Frank says as he moves his hand behind Gerard's neck and pulled him in again, kissing him.

Frank couldn't even explain what he's feeling, but everything just feels so right and perfect. And here he is, kissing Gerard who's also kissing him back, gently and just so sweet. Frank is willing to stay like this, in the middle of the music room and kissing Gerard. Though there's a song playing in the background that Frank don't even know the title, it doesn't make that moment less special.

When Frank pulled back the second time, he looked at Gerard with affection and admiration. "I really like you, Gee."

Gerard blushes. "I like you too, Frankie..."

Frank steals a quick kiss on Gerard's adorable nose. He also grabbed Gerard's hand and pressed a kiss on it before holding it. "Come on, I would like to bring you to my special place."

Gerard can't help but to giggle as he lifted himself and then pulling Frank up. "You seem to have so many special places, Frankie."

Frank shrugs.  _"Well..."_

 

-

 

It turns out that Frank's special place is just the old ice cream parlour near their school. They spent the rest of the afternoon sharing stories while eating their ice cream. And if Frank saw an opportunity, he will hold Gerard's hand under the table and he was even able to steal kisses on Gerard's cheeks and lips.

In which Gerard just smiles back at him, his face flushed. 

They also met at weekends to talk about their part in the project. Once they've finalized what they'll perform, they decided to spend the rest of the day watching movies and sharing a pizza.

By Monday, they're able to perform their part without any problem.

And Frank and Gerard didn't need any project-related meeting to see each other anymore. As they always try to find time to be together and hang-out after school.


End file.
